the american women of the olympic games, making history, even before they started winning medals, before they arrived in london. Tonight so many fans focus on the medal count, we zero in on another number, giving us reason to cheer. Reporter: They are the female faces, the american women at the olympic games in london, mothers, wives, daughters, dynamic, determined, driven to bring home the gold. Long before the battle began, another member already in the history books. 269. The number of american women competing for the first time, more american women than men. Eight more. The women this year represent 36 states and won well more than a dozen medals so far. They're house old names. Missy and gabby. cereal boxes already coming off the line. The judo champ racing into the stands. Just today the youngest female, swimmer katie ledecky, breaking janet evans american record from more than 20 years ago. America's first gold in the event in more than a decade. And there are the women yet to compete. On the eve of her competition, she's the fresh face of american olympic boxing. Grit and grace. Slamming her not only in the ring, but in the pages of "vogue" magazine. Delivering beauty in every blow. This is the first time women's boxing is recognize d as an olympic sport. I want to show everybody everything I can do, all the cool moves, everything I've learned. This is it. Reporter: At just 6 years old, always trying to impress her dad. Her father joined us from london. Was there a time you didn't think it was a good idea for your daughter to be a boxer? Oh, yes. From the beginning, I didn't believe much in boxing myself. Once she started boxing, she showed she was different. Are her brothers still boxing? No, everybody quit. They were clearing the way for their sister? Yes, pretty much. We had no choi. She was the only one winning. After all, she's been in on a ten-year tear, winning 69 fights, just two losses, knocking down stereotypes every step of the way. When I first started boking, it was just my dream, then god and my country, and then me and then whoever believes in me. So it's definitely a big deal. And so we choose mar lena esparza and all the women of the olympics, setting a record before they got there, the most american women competing ever.

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